Bibb seating tool



38- R. G. HAWKER 2,105,173

BIBB SEATING TOOL Filged Sept. 7, 1935 3- Sheets-S'neet l I: r; a

Jan. 125, 1938; R. G. HAWKER 2,106,173

BIBB SEATING TOOL Filed Sept. 7, 1935 '3 Sheets-Sheet, 2

(lglllllll Jan. 25, v R G, H K 2,106,173

' BIBB SEATING TOOL Filed Sept. 7, 1935 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Jan. 25, 1938 UNITED. STATES PATENT OFFICE 2 Claims.

This invention relates to valve seating tools which are particularly adapted for renewing the seating surfaces of globe valves, bibb type faucets and analogous constructions. This is a continuation in part of my copending application Serial No. 692,662, filed October '7, 1933.

The present tool is applicable to a wide range of sizes of valves and faucets, with which it is detachably engageable by means of a universal mounting or an adapter therefor. Such mounting forms a guide for a revoluble cutter shaft, having a cutter head of improved design, adapted to form a contoured seat of maximum size with minimum waste of material and lost space, which comprises one of the dominant features of the invention, and including manually adjustable means for positively feeding the cutter head and shaft axially independent of their rotation.

The object of the invention is to simplify the structure as well as the means and mode of operation of such devices whereby they will not only be cheap in construction, but will be more efiicient and convenient in use, accurate in operation, uniform in action, easily operable and unlikely to get out of repair.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved form of mounting for the tool and to provide positive feeding means for the cutter shaft.

A further object of the invention is to provide adapters by which the range of adaptation may be greatly extended to include valves of extreme sizes.

A further object of the invention is to provide a cutter head having peripheral clearance which will facilitate its operation and to further provide a tapered centering seat by which the cutter is more accurately located with reference to the valve seat being formed.

Another object of this invention is to provide an adapter for use with valves having shallow seats.

A further object of this invention is to provide an adapter wherein the operating tool may be retracted into the adapter when in inoperative position.

A further object of this invention is to provide an expansible and contractible adapter unit for use with various sizes and types of valves.

Another object of this invention is to provide an adapter for removing obstacles from portions of the valve fixture.

With the above primary and other incidental objects in view, as will more fully appear in the specification, the invention consists of the features of construction, the parts and combinations thereof, and the mode of operation, or their equivalents, as hereinafter described and set forth in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, wherein is shown the preferred but obviously not necessarily the only forms of embodiment of the invention, Fig. 1 is a side elevation, partly in section, of a bibb type faucet and the tool, forming the subject matter hereof, applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the tool assembly. Fig. 3-is a top plan view. Fig. 4 is an enlarged side elevation of the cutter head, showing it applied to the diaphragm or partition of a fixture illustrated in section. Fig. 5 is a detail sectional view of the completed valve seat, showing the application of a closure valve thereto. Fig. 6 is a detail view of a modification of the mounting member for the adjusting screw. Fig. 7 is a side elevation of an adapter, by-use of which the tool may be applied to fixtures of smaller size. Fig. 8 is a sectional view of a further adapter. Fig. 9 is a side elevation of a modification of the cutter head, wherein cutting edges are provided on the terminal end of the pilot portion. Fig. 10 is a view of a universal adapter with parts broken away and shown in section. Fig. 11 discloses another modification of an adapter wherein the cutting tool may be retracted into the adapter when trimming shallow seats. Fig. 12 is an extension for use with the adapter when used with extremely deep valves. Figs. 13, 14, 15 and 16 disclose various sizes and types of cutting tools. Fig. 17 discloses another modification of adapter particularly adapted for use with ball cock attachments and illustrated with a drill attachment for removing a screw or other obstructions from a portion of the valve fixture. Fig. 18 is similar to Fig. 17 showing the attachment engaging-a ball cock valve. Figs. 19, 20, 21, 22, 23 and 24 show the use of parts of the adapters shown in Figs. 17 and 18, Figs. 21 and 22 having portions shown in section. Figs. 25 and 26 show a side elevation and top plan view respectively of a bibb seat removing and tightenvalve or faucet which ordinarily receives a pack.

ing gland. for the valve stem. In some fixtures, the top l is interiorly screw threaded while in other fixtures such portion is threaded exteriorly. The present tool is universally adaptable to either exteriorly or interiorly threaded fixtures by means of a mounting cone 5 having both interior and exterior conical screw threaded surfaces 6 and 7. By reversing the position of the mounting cone 5, it may be engaged either interior-1y or exteriorly of the threaded portion l of the fixture. The conical form of the mounting member afiords a relatively wide range of adaptability, enabling such cone to be engaged at one point or another throughout its tapered form, either interiorly or exteriorly of fixtures of various sizes. Although the surfaces ii and. I will not conform to the threaded surfaces of the fixtures, nevertheless at a point of corresponding diameter there will be ample interengagement of the threads of the mounting cone with those of the valve or faucet to temporarily hold the cone firmly in engagement during the reseating or seat reaming operation.

Beyond the interior conical threaded portion 1 of the mounting cone 5, such member is provided with a straight interiorly threaded bore 8 to receive a bearing and feeding sleeve 9. This bearing member 9 is provided with a straight threaded portion ill adjustably engageable within the threaded bore 8 of the mounting cone 5. The adjustable sleeve 9 is provided with a smooth bore which affords an extended guide bearing for a bushing sleeve l l engageable in different positions of axial adjustment upon the cutter shaft I2.

The bushing sleeve I is peripherally flanged at the lower end at It to afford an abutment for the end of the screw threaded adjusting sleeve 9. The upper end of the tubular bushing l l is longitudinally slotted at it and is engageable within a surrounding clamp collar l5 adapted to be contracted by the screw Iii into clamping engagement with the tubular bushing H and thereby contact the bushing l I immovably upon the cutter shaft I 2. The feed screw 9 is free for rotation about the tubular bushing ll intermediate the terminal head or flange l3 and the clamp collar l5. To facilitate its rotary adjustment, the feed screw 9 is provided with a head I! which may be peripherally knurled or of polygonal form. By such screw threaded adjustment within the cylindrical bore 8 of the mounting cone, the cutter shaft i2 is adjusted axially relative to the mounting cone and the faucet or valve with which the cone is interengaged independently of the rotation of such shaft.

To adapt the device to fixtures too small to receive the threaded surface ii of the cone, which it is to be understood may be reversed in its relation to the feeding screw 9, and adapter cone l8, illustrated in Fig. 7 and which tapers to a smaller diameter suitable to enter the fixture orifice of lesser size is engageable with the mounting cone 5. The adapter [3 is of double tapered form having a short screw threaded tapered end if) of larger diameter engageable in the large end of the interiorly screw threaded mounting cone 5, while its opposite smaller end is engageable within the fixture. There are sometimes encountered fixtures wherein the top portion 6 is exteriorly threaded, but of such short extent that the spout or other configuration of the valve or faucet design interferes with the use of the cone 5 by preventing its descent over such top into screw threaded engagement therewith. For such emergency there is preferably employed a short interiorly threaded tapered collar 26 engageable exteriorly over the fixture and within which the smaller end of either of the tapered threaded cones 5 or l3 may be inserted. For convenience the adapter collar 26 may be temporarily engaged with the mounting cone 5, as illustrated by dotted lines in Fig. 1, when not in use, thus avoiding loose parts and keeping the assembly intact for storage and transportation.

In lieu of the split clamp collar it for fixedly securing the bearing bushing on the shaft 12, the bushing it may be tapered at its split end and screw threaded to receive a clamp nut 2 l, as illustrated in Fig. 6. In such embodiment, the bearing bushing is preferably keyed or otherwise nonrotatively engaged with the shaft l2, but capable of longitudinal adjustment thereon.

In the formation of valve and faucet seats it has heretofore been a common practice to provide a comparatively narrow upstanding head or rib about the vent opening in the diaphragm or partition wall of the fixture and a relatively wide groove or annular recess around the bead or upstanding rib. The surrounding groove or recess performs no useful function and results merely in loss of valuable seating area and waste of material. The resulting narrow bead or rib, forming the seat for the valve head, is ordinarily of such acute form that it quickly becomes embedded in the valve head or closure which is ordinarily of rubber, fiber, or other compressible material. Such valves, having screw stems ordinarily provided with operation levers, are subject to quite heavy pressure, amounting to some hundreds of pounds when tightly closed by the ordinary user. This quickly cuts and destroys the washer or valve head and induces undue wear upon the reduced seating surface, causing leaky fixtures and necessitating frequent replacement. One of the dominant features of the present invention is the utilization of as large an area of the diaphragm or partition wall of the fixture for valve seating purposes as will be permitted by the size of the throat or opening of the fixture through which the cutter head must be introduced. To this end, a minimum amount of material is removed from the outer margin of the seating surface, reducing the surrounding recess to a mere kerf, only sufficient to permit the rounding of the seating area.

Upon the lower end of the stem or shaft I2 is detachably mounted a cutter head 23, interchangeable with other like cutter heads of different diameters. The cutter head 23 is provided with a terminal pilot portion 24 of reduced diameter and a larger portion 25, fluted to form a succession of radial cutting edges, indented at 26 to agree with the contour on the seating surface to be produced. The outer periphery of the enlarged body portion 25 is upwardly tapered to provide ample clearance and the dependent outer extremities 21 of the radial indented cutting edges 26 are brought to comparatively narrow sharp definition. This enables the indention 26 to be relatively wide to produce an ample wide seating surface and minimizes the removal of material from the surrounding annular recess or groove by which the contoured seat is defined. The cutting edges, within the indention 26, are rearwardly beveled relative to the direction of rotation at 28 as are also the marginal dependent narrow cutting edges 21. This rearward bevel, indicated at 28 in Fig. 4 affords the necessary clearance to produce a smooth uniform surface upon the rounded head or rib 3 a single compact unit. It is to be noted that the formed in the diaphragm or partition wall of the fixture.

. While the cutter head 25 has been illustrated as being fluted to form a succession of four radial cutters, it is to be understood that it may be formed with a greater or lesser number. It is to be noted, however, that these cutting edges, pertaining to the formation of the seat 3, are all terminal or axial relative tothe cutter head and that peripheral cutting edges are not formed upon this portion of the cutter.

The terminal or pilot portion 24 of the cutter is longitudinally tapered, but in reverse direction to the taper of the body 25. The taper of both portions is relatively slight. I

The pilot portion is provided with cutting edges both at its end and longitudinally of its flutes. The diameter of the pilot portion is slightly greater than that of the water-way opening in the diaphragm or partition of the fixture to be reseated. Consequently the reduced portion 24 of the cutter acts as a reamer to slightly enlarge the opening whereby the pilot portion is made to accurately fit the opening. By thus making the water-way opening exactly correspond to the size of the pilot, the cutter head will automatically center itself relative to the seat to be formed. The tapered form of such reduced pilot portion reams the hole slightly conical so that the cutter has at all times a tight wedging fit in the opening which continues to be slightly enlarged as the seat is formed by the continued rotation of the cutter, thus maintaining such tight centering fit. The engagement of the pilot portion in the valve hole has heretofore been employed for centering seat cutting tools, but the continued rotation of the pilot portion during the formation of the seat tended to enlarge the hole to greater size than the pilot, leaving the tool loose to wobble therein. The taper upon the present pilot portion 24, by continuing the formation of the tapered opening as the seating operation proceeds obviates any lost motion, and insures accurate formation of the seating surface.

By the present device, they seat produced is the largest possible within the limit of the throat of the fixture through which the cutter must be introduced, and utilizes the maximum amount of material for contact area. The body of the cutter employed is preferably the largest that will pass through the throat of the fixture. The prefered shape of the seat is that of a. rounded annulus, the height of the bead or rib being less than its width, whereby advantage is taken of all the material possible for pressure resistance.

While the preferred form of seat comprises an annular convex seat 29, it is to be understood that by varying the contour of the cutting edge 26 of the cutter, concave, bevel, fiat or other shapes of seats may be produced.

In Fig. 9 there is shown a modification wherein the terminal of the pilot portion of the cutter is provided with radial cutting edges, thus affording an end mill for surfacing flat areas. While for illustrative purposes the sides of the pilot portion in Fig. 9 are shown straight, these may if desired be tapered.

In Fig. 10 there is shown a modified form of adapter or mounting 30 of universal character for use in lieu of the mounting members 4, 5 and 2D. The universal mounting 30 comprises multiple interior and exterior tapered screw threaded surfaces of different diameters for engagement with fixtures of different sizes, all combined into unit includes a. large exterior threaded conical surface 3| and a small like surface 32 and two such external tapered surfaces 33 and 34 of intermediate sizes. Likewise it embodies the larger interior conical tapered surface 35 and small interiorly threaded tapered surface 36 and a like surface 31 of intermediate size. There is thus afforded a wide range of adaptability. The adapted is further provided with a central threaded bore 8 for reception of the threaded feeding sleeve 9 in the-manner shown in Figs. 1 and 2. This universal mounting or adapter device as illustrated in Fig. 10 is the preferable construction for use of a service man who encounters fixtures of various forms and many different sizes.

Referring to the modification disclosed in Fig. 11, the adapter is provided with a cylindrical recess '32 extending into the tapered end of the adapter so that the adapter may be used in connection with a shallow valve, the cutter 23 extending intothe recess 42. The adapter 40 in addition to the external threads 44, is provided with the internal threads 46. The sleeve 48 terminates at 58 below the surface 52, as viewed in Fig. 11. The tubular sleeve 48 being shorter than the threaded portion 46, also allows the tool 23 to be used with a shallow valve when the internal threads 46 engage the valve. In that respect the'adapter shown in Fig. 11 is quite similar to that shown in Fig. 10, in that in Fig. 10 the surface is within the surface 52.

In Fig. 12 an extension 60 terminating in a reduced threaded portion 62 and provided with a cylindrical recess 64 terminating in 'a reduced portion 65 provided with threads, may be used to extend the length of the shank l2, whereby the tool may be used in extremely deep valves. The end of the shank l2 snugly fits within the recess 64 and threa'dily engages the recess 66. The tool .26 is adapted to engage the threads of the reduced portion 62. Flattened sides 63 permit the use of a wrench to turn the extension 60.

Referring to Figs. 13, 14 and 15, the method of producing the cutter 23 has been illustrated. A grinding or an abrading wheel, shown by the dotted line it, cylindrical in shape, is used to grind the face of the cutter and to remove the material between the cutters. It is to be noted that the arcuate surface ll terminates in a flat surface 12.

In Fig. 16 another modification of a cutter has been shown which will be hereinafter referred to as a 45 angle cutter. point 14 of the cutter through the center 16 of the arcuate cutting edge 18, this line 89 forms a 45 angle'with the axis 82 about which the cutter rotates; By providing the 45 angle cutter the chances of the lip or point 14 of the cutters found at the end of the arcuate or cutting edges penetrating the diaphragm is greatly reduced, thus better utilizing the material of the valve. In addition thereto the 45 angle cutter provides a more direct water way so as toeliminate whistling or rumbling. When the washers become worn the chances of chatter or hammering caused from the Water under high pressure passing in and out around the narrow crevices at high speed is greatly minimized and in most cases completely eliminated. When the narrow crevices are produced by the cutter shown in Fig. 1 a loose spindle and a flexible washer will cause undesirable noise, especially where the water pressure is high. This is very'annoying; The45 If a line is passed from the angle 5 to ,the public.

cutter shown inFig; 16 eliminatesthis annoyance. Referring to the modification disclosed in Figs.

-17 to 24, inclusive, another adapter has been shown which may be used in connection with ball cock valves. These valves have presented a problem of long standing without anyone ever producing a reseating tool that has been acceptable scurely positioned. In addition thereto the surrounding fixtures cannot be engaged successboth internally and externally engageable.

This adapter may be used with the clamp II, stem I2 and the tubular sleeve 0, each of which has already been described. This adapter is provided with an expansible and contractible means for either internally or externally engaging portions of the valve fixture. Upon the threaded sleeve 9 is mounted a tubular member I internally and externally threaded, the internal threads engaging the threads of the sleeve 9. The external threads engage a threaded member I02 provided with flaring sectors I04 separated by angularly disposed notches I06 receiving reduced portions I03 of members I I0 normally seated in slots H2 found in member H4, rotatably mounted on the lower end of the tubular sleeve I00 as shown in Fig. 17 and held in position by a suitable key I I 6, having its inner end seated in a peripheral channel H8. Members H0 are held in the slots H2 by a member I20 having a conical inner surface and held in position by the threads I22 engaging the threads I24 on member H4. I

Now referring to Fig. 18, the screw I26 threadily engaging a suitable aperturein member H4 is seated in the slot I23 in member I20 which permits the locking of members H4 and I26 in any adjusted position. Member I20 is preferably tightened sufficiently so as to permit free movement of member H0; but prevents excessive movement thereof so as to accurately center the cutter with respect to the valve fixture.

Operation of adapter By turning the tubular sleeve I00 by means of the knurled flanged portion I30 and with it the tool and the tubular sleeve 9 relative to members H4 and IZS-and the parts carried thereby, member I02 may be raised or lowered with respect to the sleeve I00. As member I02 is raised the jaw members IIO are raised upwardly, and causes the reduced portions I08 to move outwardly thereby expanding the lower ends of members IIIJ. When moved upwardly from the lower position, member I02 causes the exterior jaw gripping surface I40 or I42 to engage the fixture as shown in Fig. 18. After the tool has been properly centered and the fixture firmly engaged by the jaws H0, the seat may be trimmed by rotating the stem i2 and advancing the feed screw I1. After the valve seat has been trimmed, member I 30 is rotated so as to cause member I02 to move downwardly and disengage the fixture.

Again referring to Fig. 17, instead of a bibb seating tool being shown, a drill I44 provided with an enlarged shank I46 receiving the threaded end of the stem I2 may be used for removing screws and other foreign obstacles from portions of the valve fixture. In the modification dis- The valve seat is oftentimes obused to firmly engage a number of various types of valve fixtures much the same as a chuck in a lathe may be used to engage a great number of various shaped bodies.

In order to facilitate the removal and tightening of the bibb seating tool, a suitable wrench has been provided which includes a flat plate-like member I60 having the tapered bevel corners I62 which may be used as screw drivers, the notches I64, the graduations or rule I66, the

diameter gauges I80, the square openings I82 and a V-shaped notch I84 arranged to straddle the fianges of the cutter to turn the same.

From the above description it will be apparent that there is thus provided a device of the character described possessing the particular features of advantage before enumerated as desirable, but which obviously is susceptible of modification in its form, proportions, detail construction and arrangement of parts without departing from the principle involved or sacrificing any of its advantages.

While in order to comply with the statute, the invention has been described in language more or less specific as to structural features, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific features shown, but that the means and construction herein disclosed comprise the preferred form of several modes of putting the invention into effect, and the invention is therefore claimed in any of its forms or modifications within the legitimate and valid scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In a valve seating tool, a contoured cutter head, a smooth revoluble stem therefor, a reversible mounting cone interiorly and exteriorly screw threaded for engagement with the valve member operated upon, said cone being provided with a screw threaded central bore, an externally threaded feeding sleeve threadedly engaging said bore, and interengaging means between the sleeve and the stem, said interengaging means including a bushing sleeve surrounding the stem and upon which the feeding sleeve is revoluble, a peripheral enlargement at one end of said bushing sleeve with which the feeding sleeve has thrust engagement, and a clamp collar at the opposite end of the bushing sleeve by which the bushing sleeve is immovably engageable with the stem in different positions of axial adjustment,

said mounting member having a tube-like sleeve centrally located and shorter than the maximum depth of the screw-threaded portion to provide clearance for retracting at least a portion of the contoured cutter within the mounting member.

2. In a valve seating tool, a contoured cutter head, a smooth revoluble stem therefor, a reversible mounting cone interiorly and exteriorly screw threaded for engagement with the valve member operated upon, said cone being provided with a screw threaded central bore, an externally threaded feeding sleeve threadedly engaging said bore, and interengaging means between the sleeve and the stem, said interengaging means including a bushing sleeve surrounding the stem and upon which the feeding sleeve is revoluble, a peripheral enlargement at one end of said bushing sleeve with which the feeding sleeve has thrust engagement, and a clamp collar at the opposite end of the bushing sleeve by which the bushing sleeve is immovably engageable with the stem in difierent positions of axial adjustment, said mounting member having concentric tapered grooves in its opposite faces, the inner walls of the grooves being screw-threaded, and, having a tube-like sleeve centrally located and shorter than the maximum depth of the screw-threaded portion to provide clearance for retracting at least a portion of the 5 contoured cutter within the mounting member.

ROLAND G. HAWKER.

CERTIFICATE OF CO RBECTI ON Patent No 2,106,175., January 25, 1958.

ROLAND G. HAWKER.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed spe cification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: Page 2, first column, line M2, for the word "contact" read contract; page 5, second column, line 10, for "adapted" read adapter; and'that the said Letters Patent should be read with these corrections therein that the s ame may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 12th day of April, A. D. 19

Henry Van Arsdale (Seal) Acting Commissioner; of Patents 

